Debate

In order to attract talents and a skilled workforce, close cooperation must be developed between regional authorities, social partner organisations, employment services, and education and training providers. Social dialogue needs to be used effectively in order to attract companies to disadvantaged regions and ensure good quality jobs, good wages, job security via standard employment and access to social protection, and lifelong learning opportunities.

As we reach the midpoint in the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), it is crucial that we take stock of our progress and adapt our plans to the evolving challenges and opportunities we face. The ECO section organise a High level debate with the European Parliament´s rapporteur, Mr Jan Olbrycht, and Mr Eric von Breska, director, DG BUDG, European Commission.

Insularity is considered to be a permanent and unchangeable geographical feature which involves additional costs (transport, energy, waste management, public services, necessity goods and services) that hamper the development and competitiveness of the islands, while particularly exposing them to biodiversity loss and climate change. The organised civil society has an important role to play and tackle all these challenges and through this debate. The aim is to find the best practices and solutions so that EU islands can preform better and recover from the multiple crises.

Policy debate with Margarida Marques, Vice chair of the Committee on Budgets (BUDG), European Parliament, on the upcoming Mid Term Review of the Multiannual Financial Framework and a second set of new own resources for the EU budget.

Brexit has created significant challenges for policymakers in the European Union (EU), in particular in the financial sector, as the UK is now outside its regulatory framework. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes a very thin financial sector chapter and constitutes a limited basis for regulatory cooperation. The panelists will discuss recent trends in financial sector regulation across the Channel, including divergence between the EU and the UK, and the threats posed by this divergence for financial stability and the risks of further fragmentation.

With this debate, the ECO section is providing ex-ante input to the European Commission, in preparation for the upcoming 2023 strategic foresight cycle that wants to shed light on the strategic decisions needed to ensure a socially and economically sustainable Europe with a stronger role in the world in the coming decades.

On 1 January 2023, Croatia became the 20th member of the euro area. The introduction of the euro was preceded by a long process of convergence and Croatia's accession to the euro area comes in a time of economic challenges following the pandemic and due to the war in Ukraine. High inflation and high debt coupled with low growth prospects will challenge policy makers in the euro area and central bankers in the months to come. Against this background, the ECO section will organise a debate to discuss the prospects for Croatia and the euro area, also in view of future enlargements.